N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis said this week that a report examining what North Carolina should do about illegal immigration is a “very mature and thoughtful approach” on dealing with the hot-button issue.

He said the General Assembly would work with the business community and other interest groups to come up with a “thoughtful, respectful way to make progress.”

A 16-page report from the House Select Committee on the State’s Role in Immigration Policy will be released publicly at the committee’s meeting on Thursday. The report’s recommendations are expected to be modest, at least compared to fears of some Hispanics and their supporters as the committee has gone about its work. At the same time, it is unlikely to appease some groups and residents who favor a much stronger stand against illegal immigration in the state.

Tillis said the Republican-led Legislature shouldn’t follow the lead of other states, which enacted tough laws against illegal immigrants.

“We have several other states that I think moved out ahead of their blockers, and probably created as many or more problems than they theoretically fixed, and we can learn from that,” Tillis said.

The Mecklenburg County Republican, who is expected to serve another two years as House speaker, said the report would include a “very thoughtful assessment and message” to the 2013-14 General Assembly on how to proceed on the issue.

“We have to get this right,” he said. “It’s a very emotional issue on both sides, and we’ve got to try and hold that rhetoric off and look at things that benefit the economy, treat people respectfully, and in some cases, address some symptoms now whose problem is really rooted in federal policy. I just think we need to be very careful with it.”

Tillis said any approach on illegal immigration must take into account the impact on jobs and certain industries that rely on immigrants, especially given the tough economic climate.

“This state cannot afford to have policies come from Raleigh that affect a single job if we can avoid it,” Tillis said. “We need to make progress but we don’t necessarily have to do it all at once. We’ve seen states that have attempted to do that and it’s gotten them into problems.”

He also said the state would make it clear to federal elected officials in Washington, D.C., that North Carolina expects them to tackle the issue.

“The other thing we’re going to do is send a very clear message to Washington that they can make our job a lot easier if they would deal with the issue that they’ve kicked down the road – Republicans and Democrats – for many, many years.”

Of course, lawmakers can ignore the committee’s report and try to enact illegal immigration-related legislation individually when they return to Raleigh in January for the start of the legislative long session.

“My guess is there will be proposals that run the gamut that you’ve seen for the past several years,” Tillis said.

The House Select Committee on the State’s Role in Immigration Policy meets at 1 p.m. Thursday in Room 643 of the Legislative Office Building in Raleigh.

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Watchful eyes on government and politics in the Cape Fear region, with a focus on government spending. Raleigh bureau reporter Molly Parker, city of Wilmington reporter Julian March and New Hanover County reporter Ashley Withers contribute to this blog.